1. Field of the Inventions
The present inventions relate to a power transmitting apparatus for transmitting or cutting-off a rotational force of the input member to the output member.
2. Description of the Related Art
In general, the power transmission apparatuses for motorcycles are intended to arbitrarily transmit or cut off a power of an engine to a transmission and a driving wheel. In other words, such transmissions are designed to allow the transmission or cutting off of power at any time, for example during a gear change. Such transmissions typically comprise an input member connected to an engine side, an output member connecting the transmission to a driving wheel side, and a clutch member connected to the output member. The power can be transmitted by pressure-contacting (pressing together) a plurality of driving clutch plates and cut-off by releasing the pressure-contacting force between the driving clutch plates and driven clutch plates.
For example, a power transmission apparatus can comprise, as shown in FIGS. 9 and 10, a clutch housing 102 on which a gear 101 is formed, a clutch member 104 connected to a shaft 103 as an output member, a pressure member 105 mounted on the clutch member 104 at the right side thereof, driving clutch plates 106 connected to the clutch housing 102, and driven clutch plates 107 connected to the clutch member 104.
As illustrated in FIGS. 9 and 10, a known power transmitting apparatus includes a two-part structure in which some of the driven clutch plates 107 are supported on the clutch member 104 and the other driven clutch plates 107 are supported on the pressure member 105. That is, the driven clutch plates 107 are supported both by a spline fitting portion 104a formed on the clutch member 104 and by a spline fitting portion 105a formed on the pressure member 105.
It is well known that the power transmission is carried out by pressure-contacting the driving clutch plates 106 and the driven clutch plates 107 each other by moving the pressure member 105 to the left direction as shown in FIG. 9 and the power transmission is cut off by releasing the pressure-contacting force between the driving clutch plates 106 and driven clutch plates 107. This type of arrangement is well known prior art.